Food Revival

Wait, let me guess: You've got squash and eggplant coming in at full force, right? Tell me about it! Boy, do I have *the* recipe for you and the best part is this recipe should last all week and will take care of all that CSA bounty at once! Let me introduce my Roasted Veggie Farro Salad. I was inspired by two recipes: "Mediterranean Eggplant and Barley Salad" from Smitten Kitchen/Gourmet (RIP Gourmet) and "Orzo with Roasted Vegetables" by Barefoot Contessa.



Here's what I did (Be sure to read through the entire recipe so you can get your timing right):

FARRO (FAHR-oh):
1 1/2 cups Farro
2 1/2 cups of water
Salt (as much as you would use boiling pasta)
First, what is Farro? Well, depends on who you ask because I've seen it called a grain, a form of wheat, and a plant all of its own. According to my Food Lover's Companion: "Farro is an ancient cereal grain that belongs to the wheat family and dates as far back as 20,000 years. Farro has a dense chewy structure and a rich, nutty flavor. It can be used in pasta, bread, and for risotto-style dishes." I purchased my bag in the pasta section, so look there first. Place farro in a bowl, cover with water, and let soak for 8 hours (or overnight). Then, I just cooked it like i would pasta in a pot of salted water. Follow the instructions on the package as you want the farro to retain a bit of a bite. Once finished cooking, I drained the farro and set aside for later.

ROASTED VEGGIES:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
1 1/2 lb eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 lb zucchini/squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Dice your eggplant and squash into 1/2- inch, thick chunks (make sure they are the same size). Toss in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread veggies on a baking sheet and roast in the oven at 425 degrees for about 20-30 minutes (or so). I usually flip the veggies midway through the cooking process. Make sure your veggies are charred, yet tender and hold their shape!

Now it is assembling time:
SALAD INGREDIENTS:
1/2 lb cherry tomatoes, quartered (use local while you can)
1/3 cup Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and halved
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion, rinsed and drained if desired (I didn't, but you can if you want)
1/3 cup scallions (about 2-3; use white and green parts)
LOTS of feta cheese (cubed not crumbled)

DRESSING:    
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Whisk to combine all ingredients

TO ASSEMBLE:
Add drained farro to large bowl. Add roasted veggies and any liquid bits from the pan to the farrro. Stir. Pour dressing over farro and veggies and let cool to room temperature. While your main ingredients are cooling, begin dicing up your salad ingredients: scallions, kalamata olives, tomatoes, and feta. Once at room temperature, toss ingredients with your farro/veggie mixture. Serve at room temperature!

I had this for lunch, supper, and as a snack all week. You are going to love it. Thank you Smitten Kitchen,  Barefoot Contessa, and my Jones Valley Urban Farm CSA bag for the inspiration this week!

Last week was a fun food week. Why? Well, I found some balance. I copied some ideas from my new obsession: www.katheats.com (read about this new find in my previous post). Basically, I just paid closer attention to my lunches, ate a lot of salads, and topped the salads with a quinoa creation adapted from 101 Cookbooks website. This was my first attempt (ever) at making quinoa and I couldn't have been happier.

Here's the Quinoa Recipe: Tabasco & Asparagus Quinoa (adapted from 101 Cookbooks)
Some notes from me:I can't eat spicy stuff (i know, i know) so I didn't add the tabasco.I also substituted peas for the asparagus and I added roasted red bell peppers and onions. The whole thing was absolutely delicious and if your stomach is braver than mine, I'd highly suggest adding some kick courtesy of Mr. Tabasco.

Mid-week, I introduced my amazingly talented mentor back in my life (along with her butter): Ms. Barefoot Contessa herself. You heard me right. You see, I was beginning to feel all guilty about the amounts of butter I consumed last year and decided to try some new recipes courtesy of some new "all natural" food websites I recently found. Don't get me wrong, every all-natural, good-for-you recipe I tried was absolutely delicious and satisfying, but I have to admit that I missed my girl, Ina Garten. 

Enter Risotto Cakes and Roasted Broccoli. Folks, I just want to say that there is a reason why Barefoot Contessa inspired me to cook. Risotto cakes and roasted broccoli ain't playin' – the flavors, the "good" ingredients, and taking the time to do it right. My girl Ina has it all figured out and my husband is officially back in the kitchen now that she's back.

Chive Risotto Cakes (courtesy of Barefoot Contessa's "Back to Basics")
Quick note from me: Be sure to let the rice cool before adding all of the ingredients. In fact, this is a recipe that might be worth doing a day ahead– just in case you need extra time. It makes a lot so don't try to eat them all in one sitting (you will understand this warning once you've tasted them). Instead, use them throughout the week on top of salads and then again for a main course. 

Ingredients:

•    Kosher salt
•    1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
•    1/2 cup Greek yogurt
•    2 extra-large eggs
•    3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
•    1 1/2 cups grated Italian fontina cheese (5 ounces)
•    1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
•    3/4 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)
•    Good olive oil

Directions
Bring a large (4-quart) pot of water to a boil over medium-low heat and add 1/2 tablespoon salt and the Arborio rice. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. The grains of rice will be quite soft. Drain the rice in a sieve and run under cold water until cool. Drain well.
Meanwhile, whisk together the yogurt, eggs, chives, fontina, 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper in a medium bowl. Add the cooled rice and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, until firm.
When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
Spread the panko in a shallow dish. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Form balls of the rice mixture using a standard (2 1/4-inch) ice-cream scoop or a large spoon. Pat the balls into patties 3 inches in diameter and 3/4-inch thick. Place 4 to 6 patties in the panko, turning once to coat. Place the patties in the hot oil and cook, turning once, for about 3 minutes on each side until the risotto cakes are crisp and nicely browned. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and keep warm in the oven for up to 30 minutes. Continue cooking in batches, adding oil as necessary, until all the cakes are fried. Arrange on a serving platter and serve hot.

Next Up: Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli (courtesy of Barefoot Contessa's "Back to Basics")
Notes from me: I mixed it up and used broccoli and cauliflower. This is another dish you can use on top of salads throughout the week. Be bold with your creation and mix it up so you don't get tired of it. I loved the way the roasted garlic infused the veggies with major flavor, the lemon added a citrusy kick, the parmesan was the perfect amount of salt and cheese, and the basil leaves added the sweet you will want. Just be sure to get the most out of your pine nuts (after all, they cost like a million dollars for one teeny tiny package) by toasting them on the stove before you add them to the mix–just watch them closely as they toast. 

Ingredients
•    4 to 5 pounds broccoli
•    4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
•    Good olive oil
•    1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
•    1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
•    2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
•    2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
•    3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
•    1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
•    2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves (about 12 leaves)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discarding the rest of the stalks. Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart. You should have about 8 cups of florets. Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with 5 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.
Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts, Parmesan, and basil. Serve hot.

So there you go, folks: Here are three recipes to get you going this week. Lesson learned? There's no need to go through life without Ina, but I'm slowly finding ways to balance her recipes with lighter recipes.  Everything in moderation (hence the mostly vegetarian dishes I've been featuring here lately). Enjoy!!!

Two months or so ago, my mom was in town visiting and helping me with all things wedding-related. Luckily, my Mama is so cool that she didn't blink an eye when I asked her to drop all things wedding and head with me to Cullman, Alabama to pick up 1/4 of a cow. A grass-fed, humanely-raised, and frozen 1/4 of a cow. In addition to reading all of my Food Revival posts and supporting me throughout all of my local food endeavors, my Mom also watched Food, Inc with me. As we drove down a long stretch of road  lined with cattle farms and chicken farms, my Mom gasped in amazement at all of the "Tyson" branded farms. All of a sudden she started quoting from the movie and snapping her fingers in z-like formation. Lawsy mercy, I was proud.

So, as we drove up Birdsong Community Farm's drive – I knew I had an ideal partner in crime (my Mama rocks the microphone). Okay, so out walks Joshua with bags of beef. Lots of it. My mom is still probably (deep down) wondering how in the heck we got here when we had hotel rooms to book, bags to stuff, and wedding details to finalize. Nonetheless, we spent some time with Josh as he walked us around some of their property and we talked about how to make availability a bit easier for us Birmingham city folks. Then we packed up our cooler(s) and headed an hour back to Birmingham to drop off equal parts to my split partners. I must admit, it was hard to figure out who gets what based on all of the different cuts, but it was all of our first time and we just figured it out as we went. 

Once home with my share, I immediately started mapping out the ways I would use it. Of course, I also had to keep in mind that there was NO need to eat THIS much red meat every week, so portion control was important too. The first dish happened to be spaghetti and I wasn't quite prepared for the strong taste of the beef. Once I got used to meat actually tasting like something, I was able to move forward with other dishes without getting completely freaked out.

Next dish? Lasagna with my ground beef and homemade pasta. Luckily, Mike and I received a homemade pasta maker as a wedding gift from said rockin' mama mentioned earlier in the post. Well, lookie here: A way to use the wedding gift and some of my newly purchased beef. Awesome. I followed the Pioneer Woman's pasta suggestions and even loosely based my homemade tomato sauce on the bolognese recipe posted after the pasta recipe.

And then today I made some Beef Stew with my stew meat from Birdsong Community Farm. The recipe was inspired by Barefoot Contessa's Parker's Beef Stew recipe.Of course, now that I'm getting used to this cooking thing, I am improvising and creating as I go. I need to start keeping better notes in 2010 so I can list the recipes that I come up with! And do you see that beautiful Le Creuset pot? Well that was a wedding gift from some amazing friends. I think 2010 will also be the year I try to incorporate my thoughtful gifts just as a note of thanks. Man, I'm happy. 

Enjoy!
xo,
A

I just got back from Water Valley, Mississippi, which is about 25 minutes outside of Oxford. A BFF of mine (Coulter) and her 2-year-old son celebrated a joint birthday with a rockin' outdoor party with some rather awesome friends and their kids. She knows I love a kitchen, so she had it planned right down to the last minute as to what all we had to get done before all the folks started showing up. The menu? Boiled Peanuts, Pimento Cheese w/toasted baguettes, Guacamole, and Shrimp in a cilantro/lime juice concoction. Homemade Ice Cream. Oh, and of course... some hot dogs. I was in charge of the cupcakes. Here's the thing about baking: It. takes. time. By the time I got to the third pan of cupcakes, Coulter was buzzing all around the kitchen whipping up her specialty homemade dishes. It was a vision to see. Nonetheless, I stuck to the plan: Cupcakes. We chose a Barefoot Contessa recipe (of course we did): Chocolate Cupcakes and Peanut Butter Icing. These cupcakes were so moist and had a deep, intense, chocolate flavor. The Peanut Butter icing was surprisingly simple to make.  Since I'm more salty than sweet, I might add some chopped peanuts on top for some crunch and salt next time. 

All in all, it was an absolute pleasure to see Coulter in action in her kitchen. I wish I could give y'all her recipes but she moved too fast for me to even take it down. Now that I think about it, that might have been her plan.  It was so much fun spending an entire day (and night) in my friend's kitchen. We might not be 15 anymore, but our friendship 15+ years later means even more. We talked about recipes we've just learned, recipes we've always known, our love for the South, our future, my wedding, and we talked about her precious Amos Henry. I can't think of another place I would have rather been. So, here's to spending more time in the kitchen with your oldest friends and their family. You won't be sorry. 

Happy Birthday to Coulter and Amos Henry! xo

I went on and on about how Barefoot Contessa's SIMPLE chicken recipe changed my life in an earlier post.  Some of you tried the recipe and said you were pleased with the results as well (thank you for telling me). I thought I would go ahead and make a video of the Barefoot Contessa Chicken recipe (forever known and referenced as BCC from here on out).

The idea here is to try to make your meals last throughout the week. So, I decided to take four chicken breasts and cook BCC style. Then I made other videos showing how to spread the chicken out throughout the week: Mama's Chicken Pot Pie and Chicken Salad. If ever there was a time when we needed a break in our budgets and some excitement in the kitchen-- now is the time.

DISCLAIMERS FOR THE VIDEO:
* Sorry about the noise when I get too close to the video (you will know exactly what I'm talking about when it happens)

*I mention that chickens could be girls or boys. Well, whatever. It was impromptu. For those of you just waiting to be smarty pants, I officially know the difference: In the U.S.A., Canada and Australia, adult male chickens are known as cocks. Males under a year old are cockerels.[4] Castrated roosters are called capons (though both surgical and chemical castration are now illegal in some parts of the world). Females over a year old are known as hens, and younger females are pullets.[5] In Australia and New Zealand (also sometimes in Britain), there is a useful generic term chook (rhymes with "book") to describe all ages and both sexes.[6] Babies are called chicks, and the meat is called chicken.

Now, let's get going with the first chicken installment: Barefoot Contessa Chicken (BCC). Stay tuned for Mama's Chicken Pot Pie and Chicken Salad...